Faded Memories
by Rose Stetson
Summary: Sam and Jack met before that fateful day in the briefing room...who remembers and what's going to happen when they both realize who they are in relation to one another?
1. Prologue: The Memory

He approached her after the show, his long, brown hair slicked back into a ponytail. His chocolate-colored eyes found their way into her soul as he smiled. "Samantha, you were marvelous tonight. But then again, you've been marvelous for the whole show."

He extended a long-stemmed red rose with a single red ribbon tied around the middle of it. She looked at it and smiled as tears sprang to her eyes. She looked deeply into his. "Thank you, Jonathan."

There was something in his eyes that night that had never been there before: a longing. "Well," he said, smiling that sad smile. "I'm off to Chicago."

A feeling of sadness flooded over her. "When are you leaving?"

"Not until next week. But this is closing night. And I probably won't ever see you again."

She started crying and he gathered her into his arms, letting his fingers run through her long, blond hair. "Don't cry, Christine."

He held her for a moment before he placed one finger under her chin and raised her teary eyes to look into his clear, yet sorrowful ones. "Hey! Keep your chin up. Phantoms fly away- no matter how much you want them to stay- it's just the way they are."

"I don't want you to go." She whispered. "You don't have to be the Phantom forever." There, she had said it. Samantha Carter admitted that she had fallen for the older, mysterious, Jonathan- Christine had fallen for the Phantom.

He tenderly kissed her lips. "I know, but what's your dad going to think? I'm twenty-eight."

She turned her clear, blue eyes upward. "He'll deal with it."

He shook his head. "I don't think so. Samantha, this is how it's gotta go down."

"Then stay tonight," she whispered.

He shook his head again. "No."

"Please!" She begged.

"I...I can't."

"You can't what? Stay here and comfort me?"

He took a deep breath. "It's easy to say that now, but...I couldn't do that to you."

She closed her eyes and drew his head closer to her own. She reached up and kissed him, slowly allowing her tongue to explore his mouth. She pulled away from him. "Stay."

"You're going to be the death of me, Samantha Carter." He said, longing for more. They spent the rest of the night dancing to the music of the night.


	2. Chapter 1: The Past Meets The Future

_Sam's POV_

She walked into the briefing room, a different person than she'd been twelve years before. She'd given up the dream of being a Broadway singer, giving into her father's protests. Instead, she had gone down the other path she had considered: NASA. But, just like so many things in her life, her path had been altered, and she had ended up in the Air Force. Now, she was walking into a briefing that could very well change her future.

* * *

_Jack's POV_

"I'm assigning Sam Carter to accompany you on your mission." General Hammond said.

"I'd prefer to put together my own team, sir." He said, somewhat agitatedly.

"Not on this mission, sorry. Carter's our expert on the Stargate."

"Where's he transferring from?" Jack asked, leaning over the table to scribble down a note.

"She is transferring from the Pentagon." Came a female voice, that startled him out of his thoughts. As she walked into the briefing room, Jack felt his heart constrict. It was Samantha. He thought she would never see her again- especially not now, and certainly not here. She was supposed to be in New York pursuing a hot Broadway career. Why was she in the Air Force? Under his command?

"I take it you're Colonel O'Neill." She snapped a sharp salute. "Captain Samantha Carter reporting, sir."

He swallowed. He hadn't seen her for twelve years, and he had changed radically in those last few years. With his black ops experiences, his marriage, and...Charlie, he wasn't sure that she would recognize him at all.

He turned his piercing gaze upon her, searching her soul the way he had done so many years ago. She squirmed under the pressure, and he stopped. She didn't recognize him. He had been the one who had left her only a week after the last performance of U.C. Berkley's "The Phantom of the Opera." In a way it was better for him if she didn't recognize him, he thought. He wasn't ready for anyone new, let alone anyone old. From now on, she would just be Carter, his second-in-command. That was, if they survived the mission and the program was opened for good. Which, of course, would probably never happen.

"Oh, please, General- another scientist?" He said in response to her scientific explanation of the Gate's processes.


	3. Chapter 2: Lost Memories Reawaken

"You'll be the death of me, Carter!" Jack yelled as they tumbled onto the ramp in the Gate Room.

General Hammond hurried to the injured colonel. "What happened?"

"Oh, nothing out of the ordinary, sir. The natives liked us fine...as target practice." He said, clutching his leg.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know it was blasphemy to touch the cat!" Sam protested, kneeling over her commanding officer, and holding his leg together as the medical team approached them.

"They became hostile for petting a cat?" The General asked.

"Hey! In their defense, it was a sacred cat!" Jack said. "But no, sir, they didn't take to kindly to the cat jumping into Carter's arms."

"Get Colonel O'Neill to the infirmary! The rest of SG-1: debriefing at 0930." He ordered the mass of people in the Gate Room.

* * *

SG-1 walked into the infirmary after the briefing in time to hear Jack's complaints. "Aw come on, Doc! It's just a scratch!"

"Sir, hold still! Your leg is broken right above your knee. Thankfully, it was a clean break and won't require surgery!"

"How long should he be off of it?" Sam asked.

"At least a week. Now, it's up to him if he spends that week in here or at his house." She said, folding her arms sternly.

"Well, I'm not staying here!"

"I'll take first watch." Sam offered. "We've got leave until he heals."

"Sounds good to me." Janet said, smiling.

"And I'll take second watch." Daniel piped in.

"And I will enforce Daniel Jackson's authority." Teal'c replied.

"Good." Janet continued. "If you'll give me another few minutes, I'll have his prescription ready to go."

"Doc, I've told you before and I'll tell you again...I don't need no damn painkillers!" He roared, taking the nurse binding his leg by surprise. She accidentally bumped his leg, causing him to yell again. "AGH!"

"You were saying?" Janet asked, with a smug smile.

"All right! All right! I'll take the meds!" He grumbled.

"Have to admit you deserved that." Daniel said, looking down at the injured man.

"Thanks, Daniel. Somehow that makes me feel just peachy!"

"Really?" Daniel asked.

"No!" He yelled.

"Careful," Sam cautioned. "He's a bear when his leg's being splinted. I know from first-hand experience."

"Bite me, Carter!"

She gave him a cheeky grin. "Is that an order?"

While Daniel stared at her with a slightly disturbed look on his face, Janet barely looked up from Jack's chart. "That's enough you two."

"Yes, ma'am." They replied, quickly.

"Now, Sam. I'd like him to take two tablets at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and with a snack right before bed."

"Okay, two tablets at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and with a snack right before bed. And keep him off his foot for at least a week. Anything else?"

"He can only use the crutches for times of absolute necessity at your discretion."

"Thanks, Janet."

"Good luck!"

"Hey, I'm not THAT bad!" Jack insisted.

"Uh-huh." Sam said sarcastically as she helped him up onto his crutches.

* * *

They reached Jack's house and Sam parked her car in the driveway. "Hold on, sir." She said as she got out of the car and raced around to open the door for him and help him onto his crutches.

"Oh for cryin' out loud, Carter! I should be able to get myself into my own house!"

She smiled. "And yet, you can't."

He just looked at her, disgustedly and hobbled into his house. She shook her head in amusement as she followed him.

"Sir, it's almost lunchtime and Janet wanted you to start taking these immediately." She said, watching him try to lower himself into the chair by the table.

"So?"

"What do you want? And no, you can't have your world-famous omelet. It goes against Janet's alcohol ban."

"Not in the mood for eggs anyway." He grumbled.

"Got anything for sandwiches?" She asked, walking into the kitchen.

"A little ham, bread, you know...stuff."

She put together a decent-looking sandwich and placed it in front of him alongside a glass of water and two orange pills. "There you go, Colonel."

He grumbled all through lunch, and she ebreathed a tiny prayer of thanks when he announced that he was tired. She helped him into the bedroom, and she was about to leave when the groggy colonel reached a hand out to caress her face. He looked deeply into her eyes and smiled. "I've missed you, Christine."

She froze, her heart pounding. He had called her Christine and she had called him Phantom. In their little lovers' corner of the universe, the Phantom and Christine had had a beautifully tender and spiritually intimate love affair: the graduate student just finishing up his Master's and the college freshman who had blossomed under his wing.

She knew that this wasn't her Phantom, but she held his hand against her cheek anyway. He had fallen asleep, so she didn't feel ashamed as she let the love, longing, loneliness, emptiness, joy, sadness, hope, and fear wash over her- sometimes they came separately and sometimes she was so full of various emotions that each tear that slipped down her heek was indicative of a new emotion.

She missed everything about him: his tender, loving kiss right before rehearsal that gave her the strength to endure Raoul's endlessly tormenting embrace, his strong arms encircling her as he walked her to her apartment after their late night rehearsals, and the look in his eye that could either paralyze her as he walked toward her or send her running into his arms.

She had never been the same after he left. There had never been any sense of closure after their week together. She had gotten up and found herself in his arms every morning only to see him leave a week later for Chicago. And so the Phantom began haunting her dreams, always disappearing into the early morning haze, always eluding her grasp, yet never completely out of her sight.

* * *

Jack awoke an hour later, the grogginess gone, to find Sam sitting on the windowsill in his room, with a box of Kleenex in her hands. "You okay?"

She was looking out the window, somewhat longingly, and Jack wondered what had changed her so much. Tears were streaming down her cheek, reflecting the sunlight that filtered in through the window. His heart ached for her, and suddenly, speculation wasn't enough. He had to try to fix it. "You okay, Carter?"

She jumped to her feet at the sound of his voice, quickly brushing away the tears with the back of her hand. "Oh, sorry, sir."

"Nothing to be sorry about."

She stood. "Can I get you anything? Yoyo, Gameboy, Simpsons?"

"Musical."

She stood rooted to her spot. "Musical, sir?" She asked, recovering slightly.

"What? Cranky, old, bedridden colonels aren't allowed to like musicals?"

She forced a laugh. "That's not what I meant, sir. I was just...surprised. Which musical?"

"Um...I don't know..."

"You want me to get Daniel to bring a few over?" She asked, "You know, get a selection?"

"No. Just grab the DVDs in the bottom left-hand cabinet of the bookshelf in the den. I'll take a look at them."

She just nodded. "Yes, sir."

As she pulled out the movies, she was shocked to find such musicals as "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and "State Fair" among musicals like "West Side Story" and "Jekyll and Hyde." There was only one person beside herself that had been so eclectiv in his musical tastes- Jonathan.

She shook her head. Now was not the time to indulge in such memories. She was taking care of her commanding officer, and had almost had to explain herself to him. And she wasn't exactly sure that she was strong enough to tell him that Jonathan had been the reason she'd been okay leaving the revelations from the zatarc testing in the isolation room that day.

"Carter! You coming?" Jack bellowed.

"Yes, sir!"

She arrived a few seconds later, carrying a large box of DVDs. "Is this what you wanted, sir?'

He nodded. "Yep. Set it down here, please."

"As you wish, Master." She said, with a grin.

That kind of hurt him, but he brushed it aside. "And don't you forget it!"

He selected "West Side Story" and Sam popped it into the DVD player. "I'm going to go work on some reports for the Pentagon." She said, as the movie loaded.

"Carter!" He whined.

"What, sir?"

"You're on leave!"

"Only because you're injured. That doesn't mean that I don't have work to get done..." She admonished.

"Have you ever seen "West Side Story?"" He asked.

Painful memories welled up inside. "Yes, I have, sir." She replied simply.

"And you'd refuse an invitation to see it again so you can report on your doohickeys that both you and I know you're not thinking about right now?" He asked.

He was right, she thought. She wasn't thinking at all about the things that she was supposed to write her reports about. Maybe taking a break and reminiscing would help to clear the air. Then, after Daniel arrived, she could go to Janet's and tell her the whole story. It sounded like a good idea to her, so she walked over to the other side of Jack's bed. "I guess this one time won't hurt."

"I won't tell a soul!" Jack said, smiling.

At the beginning of the movie, they were on completely opposite sides of the bed. But as tears fell freely from her eyes, Jack reached over without thinking and pulled her close. She cried herself to sleep in his embrace.


	4. Chapter 3: Confessions of Memories

Daniel walked into Jack's house. "Hello!"

He took a few more steps inside and then looked around for any sign of where Jack and Sam were. "Jack! Sam!"

"I believe O'Neill may be resting in his bed chamber."

"And Sam?" Daniel asked as they walked toward the bedroom.

"If she is O'Neill's caretaker, then would she not remain with O'Neill?"

Daniel stopped and just looked at Teal'c. "Well, one would think...but this is Jack and Sam."

"Indeed, Daniel Jackson."

"Jack!" Daniel called before turning the corner into the room.

"Daniel!" Jack whispered, harshly as Daniel walked in and Sam lying asleep, curled up against Jack, her head on his shoulder. "Oh...sorry. We'll, uh, come back..."

"No! It...Daniel! It's...It's not what it looks like."

"So, Sam isn't curled up to you, you don't have your arm around her and she's not asleep in your bed?"

She stirred. "Sir? Is that Daniel?"

"I'm here." Daniel replied.

She opened her eyes and realizing that she was curled up against Jack she moved out of his embrace. "Sorry, sir."

"Nothing to be sorry about, Carter."

Daniel was surprised to see Sam's puffy, red eyes. "Sam are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said, walking toward the door. "I'll just leave the Colonel in your capable hands, then. Don't forget- two tablets with dinner and then, another two with a snack before bedtime."

"I know..." Daniel said.

"Then, I'll go. If you need anything..."

"We'll call." He promised.

"Thanks. Oh, and sir, thanks for being there."

"No problem, Carter. Anytime."

She left the room and within a few minutes, they heard her car start up and Daniel saw the Volvo leave the driveway in a hurry. "What was that about?"

"I honestly don't know, Daniel. One minute, she's helping me get in bed, and when I wake up, she's crying on the windowsill."

"Well, did you say anything out of the ordinary?"

"Like what?"

"Well, when you're on painkillers, you ask for some gal named Christine a lot. Every once in a while, you'll ask for Sam, but more often than not, you ask for Christine."

He closed his eyes in disgust. "Daniel, why don't you ever tell me these things?"

"Because you told me that what is said on Vicodin stays on Vicodin. Then, you threatened me with bodily harm."

"Was I on said painkillers at the time?" Jack asked, his teeth clenched and his eyes closed.

"Uh yeah."

"Daniel, just a hint, but when I say stuff like that, and then ask for a girl when on painkillers, warn me before Carter comes over. I think I may have made a VERY stupid mistake."

"Like what?"

"Dammit, Daniel!" He said, clutching the hair on his head. "Are you sure I call for Christine?"

"I have heard you utter that name deliriously on many occasions as well, O'Neill." Teal'c said.

"Jack, it's no big deal, I mean we all know your history."

"Our history? You all know?" He took a deep breath. "Damn! She must think that I don't love her."

Daniel turned a strange look to Teal'c and then back at Jack. "What are you talking about?"

Jack was startled and eyed the archaeologist, suspiciously. "What are YOU talking about?"

"Sara. Why? What'd you think we were talking about?"

Jack took a deep breath. "Nothing."

"It did not appear to be nothing, O'Neill. It seemed indeed to be something." Teal'c said.

"Yeah, what Teal'c said." Daniel added. "What's going on?"

"You swear not to say anything?" He asked.

"Um," Daniel said, thoughtfully. "I'm not sure I can promise that."

Jack shrugged. "It was worth a try. I was involved with a girl who played Christine Daae in "The Phantom of the Opera." Christine was my nickname for her."

"What?"

"I was about twenty-eight at the time, finishing up a Master's degree at U.C. Berkley."

"Berkley?" Daniel asked incredulously. "Master's? In what?"

"My undergraduate work was in English and Spanish. My master's thesis was on the literary value of Henrik Ibsen's plays."

"Ibsen? YOU got a Master's in IBSEN?" Daniel said skeptically.

"Yes, Daniel. And that was my second Master's." Jack said, getting fairly irritated by the anthropologist's lack of confidence in him. "The first was in Spanish Literature."

"Spanish literature." Daniel said, obvious that the present conversation was making him less and less confident that he knew anything about his friend.

"I had to leave for Chicago right after the final performance. I didn't see her for twelve years after that."

"TWELVE YEARS?" Daniel asked.

Jack's eyes took on a wistful and far-off look. "My worst mistake was letting her go. And while I'm grateful for the relationship that Sara and I had, and the fact that Charlie came from that relationship, I wonder what would have happened if I'd succumbed to her plea to stay. Not just for the night, but for the rest of her life."

Daniel looked at Teal'c and they both exchanged looks of an interested nature.

"What do YOU think might have happened?"

"Well, I would have probably asked her to marry me, and we wouldn't be here worrying about frat regs."

Daniel's eyes widened with sudden horrific disbelief. "You mean-?"

"Yes, Daniel. Christine's name is actually Samantha Carter. She was a freshman at Berkley when I was there." A nostalgic smile crossed his face. "She was brilliant. Beautiful, graceful, charming…and she could sing better than Sarah Brightman herself."

"He's got it bad." Daniel whispered.

"Anyway, she was never supposed to go into the air force. She was supposed to have a hot Broadway career, so I was more than shocked to see her as the Stargate expert with a doctorate in astrophysics of all things."

"And she doesn't know about your…history." Daniel prodded.

"I didn't think so, but…"

"She hasn't said a word to me."

"Nor to me."

"So…did YOU recognize her when she walked into the briefing room?"

"Yes, Daniel."

"And you didn't say anything?" He asked, incredulously.

"No, Daniel, I didn't. You of all people know what kind of person I was at that time. How could I tell her that I was back in her life only to follow it with 'my wife left me because my actions caused our only son to shoot himself. I'm just not ready for a relationship right now'?"

"That would indeed have been an inappropriate course of action."

"Glad I met with your approval, Teal'c." Jack said, testily. His leg was killing him, and he was getting increasingly weary of Daniel's questions. "Daniel, I think it's time for my meds."

"Jack, she needs to know."

"Dammit, Daniel! I can't just waltz up to her and say that I'm her Phantom! I'm her commanding officer, for crying out loud!"

"Well, something's gotta give." Daniel said, turning and leaving the room.

Jack looked out the window, mournfully as Sam had done. It was now drizzling. How appropriate, he thought.


	5. Chapter 4: I Thought He Loved Me

The rain was a heavy thunderstorm by the time Sam reached Janet's house. She simply stood outside for a few moments, trying to gather her thoughts before she rang the doorbell. Janet opened the door to find Sam drenched. "Oh my gosh! Sam! How long have you been there?"

"Just a few minutes." Sam said, shivering as she entered the house.

"Take your wet things off. Cassie left some pants, and I've got a shirt you can borrow."

"Thanks."

"Get in the shower. I'll leave this stuff here on the counter. Warm yourself up a bit, and then…we'll talk."

Fifteen minutes later, Sam was sitting on the couch, a cup of coffee in one hand, a pair of dry socks, sweat pants, and a t-shirt on. Physically, she felt quite a bit better, but despite a little improvement in morale, she still ached emotionally.

"So, what's going on?" Janet asked, settling in with a cup of coffee in her own hands.

Sam played with the coffee mug in her hands, turning it over and over again. Janet took it for what it was- a sign of her nervousness.

"I don't think it was a good idea for me to be at the Colonel's today." She began.

Janet inhaled, sharply. "Is this going to be awkward for me? As your friend AND colleague?"

Sam looked up from her coffee. "Huh?"

She saw the look in Janet's eyes and suddenly, she understood the implication. "No! That's not what happened. No…he just…said some things that sent for a stroll down memory lane."

"Like?"

Her eyes took on a wistful look. "He called me Christine."

Janet just nodded in incomprehension.

"Jonathan used to call me Christine."

"So, you use full names off-base?"

The haze disappeared from Sam's eyes. "Oh gosh no! No, someone else I once knew. His name was Jonathan and he called me Christine. For some reason, Ja-the Colonel reminded me a lot of him today."

"Okay…" Janet inserted, still clearly baffled by her friend.

"We were in U.C.-Berkley's performance of "The Phantom of the Opera" together. I was Christine and he was the Phantom. The guy who played Raoul was a real creep with wandering hands, wandering eyes, and a gleam in those eyes that made every nice, little Catholic girl shudder."

"Sounds like my ex-husband." Janet said with a smirk.

Sam gave her an appreciative smile. "Well, he bothered me for the first few days of rehearsal until Jonathan caught him. I don't know what he said or did, but Raoul never touched or eyed me inappropriately again."

Janet's eyebrows shot up. "Talk about intimidation."

She smiled. "He never told me what he said, but I deduced that there was a threat of castration."

"That would get a lot of men to control their hands, eyes and thoughts." Janet acknowledged with a smile. "So…he liked you…a lot."

"Yeah. He was kind of the tall, dark handsome type, but there was a certain amount of ruggedness in his features that made him more…mysterious. He was typecast for the Phantom, but…he was so much more. The way his eyes twinkled from the light onstage, the way his lips thinned when he smiled…"

"So…I take it you liked him a lot as well."

She smiled. "I had a bit of a crush on him almost the minute I laid eyes on him, but after he stood up for me, he offered to drive me home. I accepted, and well...we started seeing each other a week later."

"So, did you...you know..."

She nodded. "Yeah. He was my first. But it wasn't until after closing night. When I asked him to stay." She smiled wistfully. "He stayed for a week and then went to Chicago. I got a few phone calls, letters and postcards, but after a while, even those stopped. I never found out why."

"Have you ever tried looking him up?"

She shook her head. "By the time I lost contact with him, he had simply signed his letters 'Phantom.' I couldn't remember his last name for the life of me."

"So, you lost contact?"

She nodded. "Yep."

"That's terrible."

"My secret desire is to find him. I guess it's stupid, but…that's all I've got." Her eyes closed in pain. "That's why I haven't…"

"That's why you're not with Jack." Janet answered, simply.

She looked back at her cup of coffee. "Actually, it's more than that. That's why I'm not with anyone. It's part of the reason I left Jonas. One of the reasons that I never really let Martouf, Narim or Orlin in, and…"

She almost choked on her tears. "Yes, it's one of the reasons I wanted to leave the za'tarc results in that room. It was more than just the frat regs, those I could have dealt with, but…it's like I always have Jonathan with me. Watching me. Haunting me with vague images of our short time together."

Janet wisely stayed silent as she watched Sam cry.

"It's been twenty years." She sobbed, pulling her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around them. "God, I was so stupid! I thought he loved me." 


	6. Chapter 5: Putting The Past Back

The next morning after a restless night that equaled a lack of sleep, Sam arrived at her commanding officer's house early. Teal'c answered her timid knock.

"Good morning, Major Carter. How do you fare this morning?"

She smiled. "Fine, thanks. I'm here to relieve you of duty."

Teal'c nodded. "You may enter."

Daniel walked out of the living room. "Well, let's change this guard." He muttered, sleepily.

She smiled. "Has the Colonel had breakfast yet?"

"He has not awoken to the best of my knowledge." Teal'c replied.

"Okay. Bye."

Daniel yawned as he walked out the door. "Bye."

She closed the door after watching her friends drive off. Now it was just the Colonel, herself, and her haunting past. "I'd better just face the memories." She said, under her breath. So, she reached for the waffle iron that she'd seen in the Colonel's kitchen and began cooking.

As her spoon flew around the bowl for the umpteenth time, she could feel Jonathan sweep her hair from the nape of her neck and begin to kiss it, snaking his arms around her waist.

She closed her eyes in painful recollection. It was so painful in fact that she very nearly sent the batter down the drain. But even as tears stained her cheeks, she continued. She would make breakfast for another man the way she had made it for him: Belgian waffles with strawberries, whipped cream, and a mint leaf on top, freshly-squeezed orange juice, and her scrambled eggs with chunks of ham.

She could hear his deep, baritone voice in her ear: _Oh what a beautiful morning! Oh what a beautiful you! I've got a beautiful fee-ling tha-at you love me too!_

She would have laughed and corrected him playfully, but instead she continued pouring the batter onto the hot iron, refusing to be deterred by the demons. Next, she expertly cracked a couple of eggs into a bowl, throwing in a pinch of this and a dash of that.

The first waffle was finished. She placed it onto a plate to cool as she poured the egg batter into a small skillet on the stove. With each step, the memories kept haunting her: his lips softly caressing her neck, the heat of his breath on her ear, and the way his arms locked protectively around her waist as she made breakfast.

It had been one week from heaven that had ruined her life. As she placed each plate, glass and utensil on the tray, a tear slid down her cheek. "Good-bye, Jonathan. Good-bye, my Phantom." She whispered before picking up the tray and going in to her commanding officer.


	7. Chapter 6: Sickening Realizations Dawn

Jack awoke to the smell of his favorite breakfast. But this had him somewhat concerned. Daniel could not cook to save his life, Carter didn't cook…anymore, and Teal'c…well, Teal'c preferred to cook the traditional dishes of Chulak. Therefore, none of his team members could have prepared anything like the Belgian waffles, scrambled eggs and orange juice-unless Sam had remembered- without burning his kitchen to the ground. It was either that or someone like Janet Fraiser had taken over their care-taking responsibilities. Needless to say, Jack was afraid for his life.

"Daniel! If you burn down my kitchen, so help me!" He yelled.

The slim figure of his second-in-command came in, a timid smile plastered on her face to hide her tear-stained cheeks. "Sorry, sir. I sent Daniel and Teal'c home already."

Damn, he thought. She had remembered. "Nothin' to be sorry about, Carter. So, I can assume my kitchen is safe?"

She gave a small smile as she nodded. "I brought breakfast, sir."

He saw the fare and it made his heart pound with fear. "What? No froot loops?"

The smile on her face tightened as though she was trying to keep from crying. Damn, he'd done it again. "I just thought you might like something different from your base breakfasts, sir."

"Oh, well…in that case, bring it on over, Carter!" He ordered, teasingly.

"Yes, sir." She said, walking over and laying the tray on his lap.

"I'm sorry if I upset you yesterday." He said as he watched her. "I have a tendency to ramble when I'm on painkillers. And I forgot to preface this with what happens on vicodin stays on vicodin. Apparently, I never forget to tell Daniel. Go figure."

"It wasn't you, sir. It was just that…yesterday brought up a few buried demons, that's all." He mentally slapped his forehead. Yesterday had been the twentieth anniversary of their closing performance. He had been so stupid not to remember it.

"Now, I need to see you take your medication after a few bites of breakfast. Then, I can work on those reports General Hammond asked for." She said, back to business.

"I thought you were on leave."

"Unfortunately, sir, I need more than a musical to distract me today." She said, a distinctly sad note in her voice.

* * *

She stared at the blank Word document, seemingly unable to type any of her reports. She had made her peace with Jonathan, hadn't she?. He was probably married, and probably expected her to be as well. So, why wasn't she able to let him go?

Suddenly, an image of Pete came into her mind. She closed her eyes in humiliation. Why hadn't he come to the foreground of her thoughts beforehand? He was, after all, her boyfriend.

She groaned. She hadn't thought about him at all. She had thought about Jack. Not Pete, not Narim, not Jonas, not Martouf, not Orlin, and not Colonel O'Neill. She had thought about Jack.

She placed her head in her hands in despair. Now, she had to worry about how to let Pete down gently. "When it rains, it pours, I guess." She muttered to herself.

"CARTER!"

She stood and walked toward the Colonel's room. Maybe it was time to take their feelings out of the Iso room.

A strong, baritone voice floated, hauntingly through the halls. It was so familiar, and yet…so different. Maturity had added a richness and depth that couldn't have been reproduced. _"Oh, what a beautiful morning! Oh, what a beautiful you! I have a beautiful fee-ling, tha-at you love me too!"_

She froze, her heart pounding. It wasn't possible. This was most certainly one of the cruelest jokes that the gods had ever played on her. Jonathan was not- could not- be her irresistible commanding officer. Praying that it was all just a hallucination, she forced herself to walk into the Colonel's room. He reached for her hand and kissed it, giving her that smile that had, and always would, make her weak at the knees. Suddenly, she could see Jonathan's features in her commanding officer's features. "Christine! You remembered!" He said before closing his eyes.

A sob broke from the depths of her soul as she flew out of his room. Before she even knew what she was doing, she was on her cell phone, calling Daniel. She had almost reached the car, leaving everything behind except her keys and phone.

"Hello?"

"Daniel?" She choked out between sobs.

The archaeologist started worrying. "Sam, is everything okay? Is Jack okay?"

She took several deep breaths, trying to control the racking sobs that were plaguing her. "I need to leave. Can you or Teal'c-?"

"Jack's okay? Yes, we can come and stay with him. What is it? Pete? Mark?"

She didn't answer, just shut the phone and got in her car. As she started it, Jack reached the door. "Carter!" He yelled, a little more coherent than he had been before.

She drove off without acknowledging his call. He tried to get down the stairs on his crutches, but his elevated heart rate forced the vicodin to hit him full-force more quickly. Before reaching the final step, he crashed to the ground, unconsciousness claiming him.


	8. Chapter 7: Inevitable Fallout

She knocked on the door, taking out her frustrations on it. "Janet! Open the door!"

Nobody answered. Finally, Sam sank down and sat on the front step. The tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Jonathan "Jack" O'Neill. United States Air Force Colonel. Commanding officer. The Fates had certainly conspired against her.

Janet Fraiser's car pulled into the driveway, but Sam didn't react. "Sam? What's wrong? Is Colonel O'Neill okay?"

She simply nodded.

Janet opened the door. "Come in." She hung up her jacket and started a pot of coffee. "What happened?"

"I found Jonathan today." She said, sinking onto the couch.

"I thought that would be a good thing. Is he married?" She asked, sympathetically.

Sam shook her head. "Nope."

"Then what's your problem?"

"He's unattainable!" She said, burying her head into her hands.

Janet just looked at her. "You can't be serious."

"Does this look like a joke to you?"

"Colonel O'Neill?"

She nodded. "Yes, Colonel O'Neill."

Janet closed her eyes in sympathetic anguish. "As if things couldn't get any more complicated between you two."

"Janet, it wouldn't have been complicated if I'd only known who he was. I would have requested reassignment, and that would have been the end of that."

"Do you really think he could have ever let you do that?" Janet asked, surprised.

"I don't know what to think anymore." Sam said, despondently. "All I know is that I know Jack O'Neill better than I ever thought I would."

Janet's curiosity was piqued, but she didn't say anything, afraid that any attempts at needling information from her forlorn friend would be sabotaged.

"I know that he prefers hand-pressed orange juice to coffee in the morning. I know that he likes to sleep with the window open. I know that he reads poetry in the morning to stimulate his mind." She choked on her tears. "I know that underneath his 'bravado,' he's a man who delights to romance a woman as much as she delights in him romancing her."

Janet just watched the sobbing woman still shocked with the news she had brought with her. Surely Colonel O'Neill was not the same man…


	9. Chapter 8: Take a Good Hard Look

By the time Teal'c and Daniel arrived to Jack's house, the ambulance was pulling away. Several of Jack's neighbors were standing around, whispering to one another. Daniel instantly followed the ambulance before turning to Teal'c. "Dial Janet."

The Jaffa nodded, selecting the doctor's number from Daniel's list of contacts in his cell phone. He handed the phone to Daniel just after he pressed the send button.

Janet stood to answer the phone, apologetically. As much as she hated to leave her friend in the middle of a conversation, she was the chief medical officer of a top-secret military operation. The job didn't include long vacations, and she'd already had a couple hours more than she usually did. "Janet Fraiser."

"Janet, it's Daniel Jackson."

"Daniel, what's wrong?"

"Jack's been sent to the hospital."

Janet's eyes widened in concern. "What? What happened?"

"I don't know...I got there just as the ambulance was pulling away."

"We'll be right over." She said, seeing Sam's absent look of worry.

"Well, we just got to the county hospital. I guess we'll see you in a few."

She nodded. "I just live around the corner. We'll be there in a sec."

"What happened?" Sam asked, looking up from her cup of coffee, despondently.

"Jack's been sent to the emergency room, via ambulance."

Sam shot up, grabbed her jacket and ran out to her car. Before Janet could say anything, she sped out of the driveway.

Janet sighed as she grabbed her keys and hurried to the hospital. "Those two..." She muttered.

--

Sam drove to the hospital, oblivious to what she was doing. As she walked into the waiting room, Daniel and Teal'c saw her. "Sam!"

She turned, almost blindly toward them. "What happened?"

"We don't know...we were hoping you did..."

She sat down in the waiting room chair. "I...I wish I did, but..."

"You realized who he was..."

"Yeah." She said, softly. Suddenly she stood. "You knew?! You knew who he was?!"

"Sam, he told us yesterday."

"He knew." She said, too calmly for that to be a good thing.

As Janet walked into the hospital, Sam walked out. "Sam!" "Major Carter!" The men called after her.

"What happened?" Janet asked, looking at the men.

"We, uh...Jack knows who she is..."

"What?"

"He knows who she is...not just on painkillers..."

"Oh boy." Janet said, wincing.

"However, we do not know why O'Neill has been brought to this medical care facility."

"Daniel, go after Sam...talk to her...find out if she's okay. I'll get Colonel O'Neill transferred to the infirmary."

Daniel nodded.

"Do you have a specific assignment for me?" Teal'c asked.

"Yes...I'm going to need you to help me get the Colonel to Cheyenne Mountain."

Teal'c nodded in acquiescence as Daniel ran out to the car. Sam was still in the parking lot, her car sitting quietly. "Sam, are you okay?"

She looked up at him. "Am I okay? Does it look like I'm okay, Daniel?"

"No."

She sat on the grass of the separator in front of her car. "I always hoped I'd find him, but I never thought I would...and I certainly never believed that I'd find him at work...I mean, Colonel O'Neill is so...different from Jonathan, yet...so much the same..."

"Jack's a forty-eight-year-old Colonel in the Air Force, who lost his son and his wife, spent a great deal of time on black ops missions..." Daniel said, sitting beside her.

"Jonathan was a refined English literary critic who had the voice of a phantom...but more than that, he was...they're both kind and compassionate. They have a steadfast moral compass." She gave a tiny grin. "They're loyal to the end..."

"Sam, he won't say it...at least not while there are regulations in the way, but...he loves you. He tried to let you move on with your life, but...he just can't. The fact that you fell in love with the same man over again, without knowing who he was...well, I don't need to say the rest..."

She sighed. "That's just it, Daniel...he's not the same man. The man before was more confident. He wouldn't have waited to tell me who he was...he would have known that I loved him enough to give up the Air Force..."

"Is that REALLY what he would want you to do? Especially knowing how much YOU love your job, and how much the program needs you?"

"So, what? Let HIM retire? He's already tried and failed TWICE!"

"Sam..."

"Daniel..."

"Maybe Jack was waiting for you to confirm that you still had feelings for him..."

She looked at him. "Daniel..."

"You said it yourself. Jonathan was more confident. Jack lost that when he lost Charlie and Sara."

She swallowed down tears as he stood. "Come on, I'll get you a cup of coffee..."

She shook her head. "I'd like to be alone right now..."

He studied her closely. "You're not just going to run away and pretend that this whole thing hasn't happened, are you?"

"When have I ever done that?"

"Two words: za'tarc testing."

She sighed. "I can't promise anything..."

"Jack deserves better."

She closed her eyes, not saying anything.

"You do too..."

She stood as tears returned to her eyes. She opened her car door, but hesitated before getting in. "Daniel, I know you're trying to help, but...I just don't know what to do anymore."

"I know this is going to sound cliche, but follow your heart. Not your head, not the regulations...your heart. I think you know how Jack feels about you...and I think you've admitted how you feel about him now that you know who he is...and I think you're willing to make this work, but...your mind is getting in the way. Just let that rest for a couple of days..."

"I don't think I can." She whispered as she got into the car.

--

She drove to a park where she sat on the bench, watching as children ran around, mothers followed them, men and women went about their business. Jack O'Neill...Jonathan O'Neill...The Phantom...Commanding officer...

Her thoughts were no longer clear and concise, like math equations, they were mixed like various colors of paints going down the drain together. The swirling, contrasting emotions made her dizzy, the absolute change of character was astonishing. She'd always been a woman to hide her emotions...now, she was found sitting on a park bench, trying to understand her emotions. Trying to sort them out.

She was angry that he had kept his identity a secret from her. But if he had known from the beginning, how was he supposed to invite her back into his life? "Hi, it's your Phantom, I've just gone through years of black ops missions I'll never be able to tell you about, my son shot himself with my gun, and my wife left me when I was recalled to active duty...not just to open the Stargate program, but to take on a suicidal mission. I'm just not ready for a relationship right now..."

She almost laughed at the obsurdity of the monologue that had just played in her head. It was something Jack would have said sarcastically. Then, she sobered as she thought back to their first few interactions as CO and subordinate.

"_Oh, I adore you already."_

"_I like women...I just have a little problem with scientists..."_

She blinked tears from her eyes. He had tried to find out how much she knew. If she recognized him. She closed her eyes in humiliation. He hadn't been ready to tell her what he knew at the time, and by the time he was, they'd been declared za'tarcs, and were forced to hide their feelings in that isolation room.

She gave a tiny chuckle as she thought about when Jack had met her dad.

"_Get outta town! Sam's dad? I've heard...nothing about you, sir."_

Of course he'd heard about her dad...he'd heard PLENTY about her dad. Enough to worry that the overprotective Air Force General would have his head if he continued to see his daughter. A part of her would always see her dad as the ultimate reason Jonathan had left her...out of respect for her relationship with her dad...out of a reasonable fear of what would happen if he didn't leave...

Now, the self-same man was best friends with her dad! Even going so far as to call Jacob "Dad" in good humor.

"_Jacob! Thanks for stopping by!"_

"_What the hell? I was in the neighborhood. You need a lift home?"_

"_Yes, sir. Thank you."_

She smiled, traces of sadness and happiness in her smile. She had nearly lost him then. She had just admitted her feelings for him under the careful readings of the za'tarc scanner, and he had been sent flying into outer space, supposedly to die of suffocation in the tiny space craft.

He'd been there when she needed him most...in whatever capacity she needed him most...doing everything in his power to keep her out of harm's way.

"_You are next." The deformed man said, pointing to her._

"_Uh, I think I'm next." Jack said, not needing to distinguish whether he was doing this to save Sam or whether it was merely a stall tactic._

"_Nirrti has asked for this one." Sam had closed her eyes in defeat. Even the goa'uld were picking up on the mutual attraction._

"_And I'm asking for you to take me instead…"_

_Sam's head jerked up and she saw the quick look he'd turned to her, reassuring her that if he had any say in the matter, she would be safe._

"_No!" He said, pushing Jack back as he pulled Sam toward him._

He had been there to comfort her, allow her to place her head on his shoulder when she was so hot…

He'd been there when the super soldier came after her. He'd saved her again. He'd saved her countless times.

She groaned. And she'd repaid him by dating Pete and blowing up when she realized that he was the man that she'd been in love with for all of her adult life. Seven of those twenty years, she'd spent with the man himself, falling in love with him all over again. Yes, he'd been different. That should have been expected. Twenty years didn't leave you untouched, pristinely cared for like a treasured porcelain keepsake on your mantle. A family heirloom on display…

Her cell phone rang. "Carter." She answered, expecting to hear Janet, Daniel or Teal'c on the other end, saying that Jack was at the SGC and that either everything was going to be okay, or that she needed to hurry down and say her good-byes. What she didn't expect to hear was Pete's voice.

"Hi, babe."

"Pete."

"I know, babe, I'm as surprised as you that I'm actually talking to you. I mean, usually you're out saving the planet and all that stuff…so I was just going to leave a message…"

"Pete."

"I'm in the Springs, and I thought you and I could have dinner tonight."

"Pete, I can't…"

"You're going back to work, aren't you?"

"That's not why I can't."

"You're dealing with some alien illness that's keeping you at the Mountain?"

"No, Pete, I…I found someone…from my past, and…"

"It was that Jonathan guy, wasn't it?"

"What?"

"Sam, you talk in your sleep. You've been asking for this…Jonathan guy…and…you found him…"

"I'm sorry."

"Look, I wish I could say I was surprised, but…a gal like you was just too good to be true…I'll see you around, Sam."

The phone went dead in her hands, and she closed her eyes with a sigh.

Just then, her phone rang again. "Carter." She said, her tone somewhat indicative of her exasperation.

"Sam, it's me, Daniel."

"Daniel?" She asked, her tone turning to worry. "What happened? How is he?"

"Hold on, Sam, I'll get to your questions. Jack's fine. He's at the SGC. He must have passed out trying to follow you out the door. The Vicodin hit him faster than normal 'cuz he was running…or rather, hobbling…faster and father than Janet recommended."

"So, he's fine."

"Physically…yes."

"What do you mean, Daniel?"

"Sam, he…he thinks you hate him…"

"What?"

"Anyway, I thought I'd give you fair warning before you came in ranting and raving…"

"I'm not going to." She said, calmly. "I've been thinking…"

"I'm not the one you need to tell that to."

She nodded. "I know. Is he up to visitors?"

"I think Janet will make an exception for a team member…"

Sam stiffened. "I have a few more things to do before I can get there…"

"Sam!" Daniel said, realizing his faux pas as she hung up the phone. He closed his eyes in self-deprecation. "Oh…great! She said she was doing better, and YOU just single-handedly ruined it again!"

* * *

_Sorry for the HUGE wait in updates...I've been really busy with school and work and family stuff...but I was in the mood for some romance on the Sam and Jack front this week, and this came out...it's not exactly what I was in the mood for, so I'll be writing the last chapter in the next couple of days. Again, SORRY! Please review, if you don't hate me for the unreliable updates to my almost finished stories!_


	10. Chapter 9: Heart to Heart

She returned to Jack's house, remembering that she had left her laptop there. She would need it for the task ahead. She knew that she was taking a BIG risk in even thinking that this was the right course of action to take, but she knew that this was the ONLY course of action either of them could take. They were both too valuable to the program for either of them to actually leave the SGC, and while they both remained in the military, they would continue to brush aside the feelings that they desperately needed to discuss.

She bit her lip and wrote her letter:

Dear General Hammond,

It has been a great pleasure through my years here at the SGC to serve with the nation, no, the world's finest intellectual and military minds. My experiences here have been out of this world, pardon the pun, and will remain dear to my heart for all of my life. However, I am sure that you are aware that I have been dealing with a great many conflicts of interest. There are more than a couple parts of my personality that are desperately wanting to be placed at the forefront. For example, I am consistently wondering if I should go the way of military protocol, or do what I would as a scientist and challenge the rules set forth by the Pentagon.

Therefore, it is my regret to inform you that I must resign my Air Force commission. While I do not wish to leave the SGC, I feel that for me to continue to live in this world of contradiction would ultimately lead to my failure as an individual. So, if you wish to keep me at the SGC, I would have no objection. However, I must warn you that to do so, I would need to remain a civilian scientist, whose number one goal is to reach new levels of understanding in regards to physics and the world around us.

I thank you for being the leader of such a wonderful facility, and more than that, providing each person under your command with opportunities to reach their full potential, be they military officers or civilian researchers. It is when men like you lead these projects that the worlds of scietific research and military protocol can be intertwined, leading both groups to heightened success.

Again, I express my apologies for tendering my resignation with so little warning. But I believe it to be the best course of action at this time. Not only for myself, but for members of my team, and ultimately, for the rest of the world.

Very sincerely,

Samantha Carter

She looked back over the letter, sighing as she did so. Jack wouldn't be very happy with her. Neither would the President, Janet, General Hammond, her dad, Daniel, Teal'c...she had just given them the option of taking her off of SG-1. But she had also given them the opportunity to keep her there. Or send her to work in the labs with Felger.

She gave a tiny shudder at the thought. She would lose her eyebrows within ten minutes of working with him, and her mind within a year.

She closed her eyes and bit her lip. It was the best opportunity for anything she truly wanted in life. And ultimately, her friends and family would support her. Whether Jack forgave her or not.

She packed up her laptop and returned to her car. She checked to make sure she had her base access ID with her, and drove to Cheyenne Mountain, her heart both heavier and lighter than it had been before.

--

"General Hammond?" She asked, tapping lightly on the door, a tiny white envelope in her hand alongside a few manila folders.

"Major Carter. Come in. How's the Colonel?"

"I don't know, sir. I haven't been to see him yet."

The General gave her a questioning glance before shrugging. "So...what can I do for you?"

"I have the paperwork you requested." She said, handing him the folders, the envelope tucked inside.

"Major, you didn't have to work on that. This is your downtime."

"I understand, sir, but I needed to think."

"This isn't just about the reports, is it, Major?"

"No, sir. You'll find my resignation in there."

"Resignation?"

"You'll find a more detailed analysis of my decision, but suffice it to say that I can't remain a member of the United States Air Force. It is a conflict with a bigger interest in my life."

"Such as?"

"Please don't make me answer that." She whispered.

"I see." The General said, watching the young woman. Jacob Carter's daughter was leaving the Air Force for her commanding officer...unofficially, of course. If someone had told him that twenty years ago, he would have laughed in their face. Hell, if someone had told him that at the beginning of his command, he would have had them committed to a mental institution. "Well, I wish you the best in your endeavors."

"Sir, if I may, I'm not requesting to leave the SGC. Merely resigning my Air Force commission."

"You're tired of doing double-duty."

"In a sense, sir." She said, eying him steadfastly.

"I'll have to speak with my superiors."

"I understand, sir."

"At any rate, it will take two weeks for this letter to take effect. Just like any other civilian letter of resignation."

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

"All right. I'll let you know when I hear anything from Washington."

"Thank you, sir."

"Dismissed." He said, giving her a fatherly smile. "And Major, make sure this is really what you want."

"It is, sir." She said, grinning.

--

"Jack, she said she needed some time alone!" Daniel explained, exasperated.

"And I'm telling you, Dannyboy, you shouldn't have told her that I knew!"

"She already knew that you did! What difference does it make?"

"What difference does it make?!" Jack asked, angrily. "Oh, I don't know...the difference between life and death!"

"Life and death, huh?" She asked, giving him a tiny grin.

"Carter!" Jack exclaimed, surprised. "Uh...what're you doing here?"

"We need to talk." She said, eying Daniel and Teal'c standing over the injured colonel.

"And I needed to get a cup of coffee." Daniel said, turning to leave.

"And I have an appointment to kel'noreem." Teal'c said, bowing before taking his own leave.

"The guy doesn't even have Junior anymore...what the hell does he want to kel'noreem for?!" Jack asked, knowing precisely why the guys left, and stalling before Sam went for the kill. She would get angry at him for not telling her who he was and all that, and he already had the headache from Netu, and he REALLY didn't want to feel like a loser on top of all that.

"Well, it was a part of his life for nearly a hundred years." She said, sitting down. "But that's not what I came to talk to you about."

"Oh really? What'd you come to talk about?" He asked, feigning ignorance.

"Don't play stupid, Jack, you know exactly what I'm talking about."

"Okay."

"I resigned my Air Force commission." She stated, unable to withstand the nervousness within her for much longer.

"You what?" He asked, his head snapping up.

"I gave General Hammond my letter of resignation. He said it would take effect in two weeks."

"You're leaving the SGC?"

"Maybe."

"What the hell do you mean 'maybe?' You've given your two weeks notice!"

"No, Jack, I resigned my Air Force commission. There's a difference."

"Yeah...BIG difference!" He said, sarcastically.

"Yes, actually, it is. It means that I might be able to stay here. As a civilian scientist. It means that I may actually be able to stay on an SG team. Like Daniel..."

"Really?" He asked, shocked.

"Yeah. And since I know you're A LOT smarter than you pretend to be, I'm surprised it hadn't crossed your mind."

"Sam, I..."

"Don't." She admonished, gently.

He turned his classically confused look to her. As he did so, she chuckled before sobering. "I know why you didn't say anything."

"Carter, I just...you do?" He asked, shocked.

She nodded. "If the timing had been different..."

"So, you're not upset?"

"I'm not happy that you kept it from me, but I understand your reasons for doing so." She said, slowly taking his hand in hers. He looked at it, surprised before she continued. "First of all, I'd made it clear almost immediately how long I'd looked forward to going on that first mission, and you knew that if you revealed our relationship, I would be robbed once again of my rightful place on the expedition. Secondy, you were still grieving the loss of both Charlie and Sara., and it wasn't a good time for you to pursue a long-lost relationship. And thirdly, you just didn't know if I was still pining for you or if I'd cried my tears and gotten over you."

"Wow." He exclaimed, softly. "That's exactly what I was thinking..."

"Once I put the two halves of you together, it was easy to read you." She said, gently caressing his hand in hers. "I didn't have to second-guess anymore...I didn't WANT to second guess anymore..."

"Well..." He said, suddenly feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the place of their sentimental conversation. "Don't tell anyone about my "softer" side...it'll ruin my image."

She laughed as she looked up, showing him the moisture in her eyes. "Your secret's safe with me."

"So...where do we go from here?" He asked, the question accenting the heavier side of the atmosphere.

"Pete's gone." She said, hoping he would see the hidden answer in her response.

"He is?"

"Yes. Just like Jonas Hansen, Narim, Martouf and Lantesh, Orlin...they're all gone."

"Why?"

"Because I never stopped loving my Phantom. I just fell in love with the newer model..." She chuckled.

He grinned. "I still got it, baby!"

She laughed out loud. "And there's NOTHING modest about you..."

He gave her a mock pout. "What? You can't be dark and mysterious for long...but when you have endearing qualities like me..."

She snorted. "Sarcasm, irreverence..."

"Exactly." He said, proudly. "You can't help but have ladies falling at your feet!"

Janet walked in just then. "All right, Mr. Ladies Man, I have your medication for you..."

"DOC!"

"What?" Janet asked, sweetly. "I didn't hear a thing..."

"Good." Jack breathed.

"Baby." She finished, cheekily.

"DOC!"

Janet gave the Air Force colonel the cup with his pills in it. "Swallow these and I'll leave...happily."

"Promise?" He growled.

"Promise." She said, raising her right hand to the square.

"'Kay." He said, taking the small paper cup and throwing his head back as he swallowed the pills.

"Water." Janet said, handing him another cup.

Jack swallwed the water and smacked his lips. "Thanks, Doc, it's been a pleasure as always..."

Janet discreetly noticed Sam's hand in Jack's and smiled. "I'll leave you two alone, then."

Sam chuckled. "Well, we'll have to be quiet about whatever we choose to do for the next two weeks..."

"I can keep a secret." Jack said, his eyes suddenly full of the passionate romance that Jonathan had been so eloquently capable of so many years before. Her knees went weak as her head swam and her heart started beating faster and faster. She'd never forgotten the effect of that look, but the intensity, however, had been somewhat faded over the years.

"I am going to be in SO much trouble." She whispered before she launched herself toward Jack, giving him a passionate reminder of the last performance of "The Phantom of the Opera."

Meanwhile, Teal'c, who had stationed himself as a discreet guard in the infirmary merely pulled the curtains around O'Neill's bed to hide the couple. When he returned to his position, he had the tiniest grin on his lips.

Only a few minutes later, Daniel returned. "Hey, Teal'c, what's going on in there?"

"Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter are merely discussing their issues..." He said, grinning.

"Really? That's great...but why the closed curtain?"

"Because their communication has become...nonverbal."

Daniel's confusion was evident for a moment before his eyes widened and a look of disgust passed his face. "Aw, Teal'c, was that REALLY necessary?!"

The Jaffa merely grinned. "Indeeed."


	11. Epilogue: Crazy for You

Sam walked through the hallways, surprised that she wasn't finding anyone. She walked into the infirmary, hoping to see at least one of her friends.

"Dr. Carter? What are you doing here?" One of the nurses asked, attentively.

"I was wondering if Janet Fraiser was here..."

"I'm sorry, she's busy right now...I can have her call when she's finished."

"Thank you." Sam said, with a sigh.

She walked to the commissary, hoping to find her fiancé eating a piece of cake or pie or something...

"Dr. Carter!" Dr. Lee called.

She turned. "Bill."

"A friend of mine recently forwarded me a copy of your latest paper." He said, leading her away from the cafeteria.

"Really?"

"Yeah...I was intrigued by some of the statements you made regarding space-time."

"Bill, you know as much about space time as I do." She said, exasperated.

"Apparently not." He said, seeming sincerely puzzled. "Now, if you'll come with me, I...I'd like to discuss your research a little more thoroughly. After all, you're not always going to be around to do everything, so I might as well learn from the best..."

"Fine." She said, sighing. She'd find Jack, Janet, Daniel and Teal'c later.

--

Daniel sighed from behind a nearby wall. "That was a close one..."

"No kidding!" Janet exclaimed, peeking her head around the corner.

One of the rolls of streamers hit Janet's head. "Hey!" She cried, turning back to the preparations.

"Sorry..." Jack said, shrugging in innocence.

"Likely story." She growled as Daniel chuckled and put his arm around her waist. They'd gotten quite a bit closer since Sam and Jack had rekindled their romance.

"Come on, Jan...we've got to get back to decorating."

"Yeah, we do." She said, grinning as she hurried back into the commissary.

"Uh...Jack, you're SURE Sam's going to be forgiving?" Daniel asked as he tied yet another balloon.

"Of course." He said, dismissively as he began blowing up another balloon.

"And...YOU'RE going to take the fall if she isn't?"

"Danny, just because she didn't ASK for a shower doesn't mean that she doesn't WANT one."

"Yeah, but she WAS complaining that everyone is only talking to her because of the baby."

"That has seemed to be her complaint lately." Teal'c agreed.

"That's why it's a BRIDAL shower...with a few baby gifts..."

"Uh huh..." Daniel said, not sure that it would work.

"Look, Danny...we've got to do SOMETHING to cheer her up!"

"I agree." Daniel nodded.

"As do I." Teal'c agreed.

"Me too!" Janet piped in.

Jack looked at the vastly decorated commissary. "Am I still going to be a dead man though?"

Daniel gave a wane smile as if saying that he was glad he wasn't Jack, Teal'c just looked stoically at his friend, and Janet shrugged.

"Thanks, guys..." Jack said, sarcastically as the first of the guests arrived.

The room quickly filled with people, and Jack saw the clock's hands turn to 2:28 pm. "Okay, guys. Two minutes until lift-off." He announced.

Everyone scattered to find their own hiding places.

"Bill, I've told you a hundred times," Sam's voice could be heard thirty seconds later. "I don't need a research assistant. And I certainly don't need Felger sharing my lab!"

"But Dr. Carter..."

Sam walked into the rec room. "Bill, Felger blows things up. I don't want to share a lab with him. We wouldn't last..."

"SURPRISE!" Everyone called as they jumped out of their hiding spots.

Sam jumped as she looked around the room. "What?" She asked, surprised.

"Happy Wedding!" Cassandra grinned.

Sam's lips parted in surprise as she looked at everyone and everything in the room. "You didn't have to do this..."

"We wanted to." Janet grinned.

"Thank you." She said, earnestly.

Jack walked over and wrapped his arm around her. "Ready for cake?" He asked with a grin.

"Let me guess...your idea?" She asked with a chuckle.

"Yep." He said, proudly.

"I would love some." She said as Janet handed her a plate with a slice of cake on it. Sam had a suspicious twinkle in her eye as she thanked her friend.

"Try it." Jack said, eagerly. "I hear that it's good."

Suddenly, the cake was in his face.

"You tell me how it is." She teased.

"Yum." He said, licking his lips good-naturedly.

"They're crazy." Daniel said, shaking his head as all of the guests retrieved their pieces of cake.

"I believe they suffer from the temporary insanity of a betrothed couple." Teal'c said, nodding.

"In other words, they're crazy for each other." Janet corrected.

"Indeed." He said before returning his eye to the sight of Samantha Carter kissing her fiance, the indelible Jonathan (Jack) O'Neill.


End file.
